: * * :
It was meal time.
I was sitting in the spacious dining room of the Imperial Palace with Raniero at the head of the table, and I was at his right. A black-haired lady-in-waiting soon approached me with her head respectfully bowed, and only the top of her head was visible for me to see.
It was a bit of an exaggerated level of etiquette, so I could only smile awkwardly.
As she then held out a cloche-covered plate to me with her head still bowed, I asked curiously.
Put it on the table.
But, Your Majesty
The lady-in-waiting swiftly replied.
There is no table.
In my bewilderment, I tried to ask what was in front of me though the table was really gone. Even though I was taken aback, I soon calmed down.
Well, it could happen.
Since the table had now disappeared, I had no choice but to be handed the plate directly. As I accepted the plate, the lady-in-waiting stepped back from me.
I asked.
By the way, whats your name?
However, she didnt answer but uttered something else instead.
Please, open it.
I put the plate on my lap at her words and slowly opened it. The moment I saw the contents, I caught my breath and quickly stood up.
Clink!
The plate that hit the floor broke, and the severed head rolled over. It was the head of Roberta Jacques, whom I hunted. Meanwhile, Raniero was laughing with great pleasure beside me, and loud laughter filled the dining room.
The blood that flowed from the cross-section of the neck drew an irregular trajectory on the floor. As the heads face turned toward me, all of a sudden, the face changed.
A paladin with a well-groomed face.
Despite having no lungs to blow air into his vocal cords, the head spoke in his characteristic low, monotonous voice.
Are you confident now?
I covered my mouth and hesitantly retreated. I couldnt help but wonder if it were I who had lost my lungs since I was suffocated and no voice came out of my mouth. Seized with the most intense fear I had ever felt, I looked towards Raniero. It was to ask for help.
Though it was the wrong choice.
He was tapping Edens head on the floor with his toe as if he was having fun while Edens head rolled around. I didnt notice, but it seemed that he had been holding a bloody knife for some time.
I immediately turned around and ran away.
However, the path to the Imperial Palace was like a maze. When I had a vague idea that there might be a road this way, it was always blocked. Not only that but if I pushed a place that couldnt be seen as a door at all, there would be a connected space there.
As if I had entered mirror land, I felt dizzy.
After running and running for a while, I was back in the dining room before I knew it. The table was now back, but the severed head and Raniero were nowhere to be found. Instead, across the table, a black-haired maid was still bowing her head.
I cautiously entered the dining room.
At that moment, a pair of white hands with protruding knuckles appeared from behind. There was also a dagger in the hand that held me tightly.
Puk!
The dagger suddenly stabbed me in the stomach.
Puk!
This time, it stabbed me in the chest.
Puk!
And this time, it stabbed me in the head.
Huh? Although the knife entered my skull unhindered, so easily as if it were piercing rubber clay, I didnt even feel any pain.
At that moment, a sweet and charming voice crawled up my auricle and crawled into my eardrum.
My winter prey.
I collapsed forward slowly. As I fell, the floor began to turn red.
Tak, tak.
As the sound of shoes approached, I turned my creaking head a little and looked at the source of the sound. Above me, I could see the maid who gave me the cloche-covered plate staring down at me.
In fact, she wasnt a maid.
I murmured, pouring out blood.
Seraphina
I didnt know what kind of expression Seraphina made. It was because her face was open like a cavity of unknown depth.
A black hole with no light looked down at me. Even though she couldnt speak because she had no mouth, I, somehow understood. It seemed that she wanted to tell me something yet, I was seized with a strong premonition that I shouldnt know about it.
And to do that, I had to die.
It was great. Id already been stabbed dozens of times It was really good. Of course, Id die soon.
A laugh flowed from my lips.
Empress.
I chuckled.
Empress!
I
Thud!
Suddenly, I felt a tingling pain in my cheek.
Angie!
My eyes shot open wide.
It seemed that my breathing had stopped. I coughed violently as air rushed into my lungs all at once. At the same time, both my wrists, which were struggling in the air, were tightly grasped.
Heuuk, huuk
I flopped and made an embarrassing noise.
Angie.
All the strength went out of my body all of a sudden.
It was freezing cold, but I was breaking out in a cold sweat, and my throat was sore for some reason as well.
Only then did I realize that the man holding my wrist was my husband. Raniero slipped his fingers around my wrist and slipped them between his with the intention of holding me tight to stop me from moving.
He had his back to the fireplace, so I couldnt tell what impression he had.
I mumbled.
I had a nightmare.
He, who doesnt dream, raised me up and embraced me. Afterimages in the dream caused a slight rejection, but I was quietly embraced.
It was a strange feeling.
That I, who was so afraid of dying, tried to run away with death in my dream.
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